Problem of the Week: Are Site Surveys the Best Investment?

Are you familiar with site surveys?  You probably, and should have, had one when your wireless network was installed, but you might not have thought about it since.  Site surveys determine exactly where access points (APs) should be placed for optimum network performance. Those performing the site survey know that physical obstructions (walls, ceilings) and wired/wirelessinterference (microwaves, neighboring networks) can greatly inhibit the strength of a WiFi signal.  So, a site survey tells you how best to avoid those issues. But it is only a snap-shot in time. Things are constantly changing in a wireless environment. New devices are constantly being added or moved.

And, what if the building is renovated, or a new neighbor moves in. Or, what if a floor or classroom that was previously empty is suddenly being used?  Does the initial site survey still hold true, or is it necessary to do another one? Some consultants would say yes, but that isn’t the only option. After all, what if only 1/3 of the space was impacted by the renovation? Or what if the space around you is constantly changing?  Is paying for someone to survey the entire site the best investment?

With Wyebot’s Wireless Intelligence Platform ™ administrators can see at a glance the signal strength of every AP on the network.  This allows them to monitor coverage and determine if something needs to change without waiting for a site survey to be conducted. Again, a site survey only gives a snap-shot in time.  Wyebot’s historical forensics reveal how the network has changed over the last day, week, and month making it easy to assess WiFi performance and plan upgrades. Use Wyebot today for instant data on network health, and proactive system optimization.